


by bond, if not by blood

by trickztr



Category: Orgulho e Paixão (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Character Study, Domestic Fluff, Found Family, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 07:03:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16342088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trickztr/pseuds/trickztr
Summary: Otávio never had a family growing up. After marrying Luccino, he was suddenly part of a quite large one. Fitting in is awkward at first. Even more so when it comes to his brother-in-law, Ernesto.





	by bond, if not by blood

The thing about missing something in your life, Otávio pondered a few weeks after their ‘wedding’, is that it’s only ever noticeable when it’s contrasted against, well. Being around  _it_.

Being orphan, he didn’t get to grow up in a loving, doting family. In fact, what he  _did_  have in his childhood was so far from that concept, he was glad to keep those memories buried deep in the back of his mind. It was in the past and he survived that to be who he is today. No use thinking about it too much.

But the thing is, family dinners, juicy gossips and gift exchanging during holidays were so new to him, he nearly got whiplash the first time they were invited as a couple to Fani’s birthday. He no longer was the casual guest in someone else’s celebration - he was  _family_. 

Family.

For years he thought of the men in his unit as brothers and the Colonel as as a father figure of sorts, and to some extent, they had been and still were. But nothing had ever felt as good as that first Sunday lunch when Luccino properly introduced him as his boyfriend. He was so nervous. Last time he’d had invited to a meal at the Pricellis’ things hadn’t exactly gone smoothly.

This time, though… When Dona Nicoletta got up to greet him, Otávio felt his chest pound in his chest. He braced himself to polite stiffness, quiet judgement and a very uncomfortable few hours. Dona Nicoletta, however, held his face in his both her hands and looked at him with kind eyes, tears welling up in its corners, and said, “Welcome, dear,” she darted her gaze at Luccino, just behind him and went on. “Thank you for looking after my bambino.”

He’s not ashamed to admit he let out a choked up laugh at that. Instead of drying the tears now pooling in his own eyes, he reached up and covered her hands with his. “I’m the one who’s grateful. Your son saved me in more ways than I can say.”

“Okay, okay, everyone’s grateful, can we eat now?” Ernesto said, clapping loudly. “Food’s about to go cold and my wife’s eating for two now.”

Emma rolled her eyes and slapped his shoulder. “Don’t ruin it!”

“What? I’m not! Come on, Major, have a seat.”

Ernesto. Luccino’s older brother. The very embodiment of boldness and passion for life. Otávio had a great deal of respect for him.

He was also maybe a little intimidated. Just a bit.

It wasn’t exactly fear. It was just very awkward. They had nothing in common and Ernesto seemed to feel at ease wherever he was. This was a level of confidence Otávio could only ever dream of. 

The Pricellis were all warriors, something Otávio admired deeply. They had difficult lives and affection from their father - and Dona Nicoletta’s husband - was sparse and far between. The fact they survived that adversity and prospered was impressive.

Well, not Virgilio, of course. But justice had been served and that was that.

Fani was more contained, more formal, but her intelligence and newfound sense of self worth radiated around her. She treated Otávio with some extra politeness, but they could sit together and talk about books for hours.

Dona Nicoletta had taken upon herself to give Otávio all of the motherly love she assumed he never had in his life, and God knows how grateful - and overwhelmed - he was by it. But they found comfort in each other and soon a strong bond formed between them. A motherless son and mother grieving her eldest. It fit, even if tragically.

Ernesto and Otávio, however, seemingly had nothing to bring them closer together. He had a knack for numbers and new ideas. Talked a mile a minute and seemed to have an opinion about literally any topic. In his presence, Otávio forgot all form of casual conversation.

It didn’t help that Luccino’s older brother also liked to touch on the subject of his relationship  _a lot_. Mostly in a humorous manner, but still. Knowing Ernesto was only poking fun at him didn’t make it less awkward when he was asked if “they were enjoying their time down at the shop.” The mere idea that he knew what he was doing to his younger brother made him beet-red.

So when in one such Sunday Ernesto invited him to have a drink downtown while Luccino and Romulo were fixing the roofing in Dona Nicoletta’s house, Otávio had a brief moment of panic. He didn’t drink. But how was gonna he refuse a direct invitation from his ‘almost brother-in-law’ without being rude?

Seeing no other alternative, he agreed and they left. The ride downtown was marked by long silences and stiff conversation. Otávio regretted every second of it, feeling more inadequate by the second.

No sooner had they sat, a waiter came to take their orders. Ernesto asked for two shots of their homemade cachaça and Otávio’s heart sank. Cachaça? If they’d gone with beer  _maybe_  he could have a sip or two, but hard liquor? This afternoon was shaping up to be a disaster.

The man poured them their drinks and left without saying anything.

Ernesto raised his glass and encouraged Otávio to do the same. “Cheers, Major. To a prosperous and happy future to our families!”

Otávio smiled awkwardly and lifted the glass to his lips. He barely let it touch his tongue before he put it down.

Ernesto then started talking about his plans with the coffee truck and mentioned some changes he wished their mayor did to the city. The Coffee Valley was expanding and the railroad was only gonna make it bigger. The social disparity was gonna get worse. Their administration would have to keep that in mind.

“Something wrong with your drink?” He finally asked, frowning.

“Uh… No. No, it’s not it. It’s just,” he aimed for a fake laugh, but even to his ears it sounded strangled. “Well, the thing is–”

“Say no more.” He gestured to the waiter, who approached them quickly. “Hey, man. Could you get us both some of your Mom’s delicious cashew juice? Extra cold, don’t even fool me, man.”

When the waiter walked away, Ernesto winked at Otávio. “I got you, fratello. Don’t worry.”

Otávio felt a wave of affection and gratitude to that man who, he finally realized, had become his brother by bond, if not by blood. Luccino always talked about how Ernesto looked after his siblings, and that one, simple gesture proved it. 

It took a while still, even after that event, but the awkwardness eventually dissipated, and Otavio and Ernesto became great friends.  

 


End file.
